Dark Curse by Christine Feehan

Dark Curse:
Born into a world of ice, slave to her evil father, Lara Calladine knew only paralyzing fear as a child. Only by escaping with her mysterious gifts unbroken would she survive to claim her great Carpathian heritage as a Dragonseeker…

Now, Lara is in search of the source of her nightmares—the cold, dark corners of her childhood just on the edges of her memory. Only one man has the power and the will to help her: dangerous, arrogant Nicolas De La Cruz.

Together, Lara and Nicolas search the treacherous Carpathian landscape for the truth about their pasts—and discover a passion that neither has ever known before.

From the very first Carpathian novel by Christine Feehan, to this—the nineteenth in the series—I have loved the Carpathian people. Christine has created a world where women are cherished and protected from their counterparts: the vampire. For the most part these books can be read in any order, but there are other characters mentioned from previous books that might confuse a new reader. Each book has a heartwarming story, incredible twists and a vicious enemy who will stop at nothing to destroy the Carpathian people…and this book is no exception. Nicholas has gone centuries without his lifemate, and believes he will know what is right for his lifemate, even if his idea of protection is closer to a prison. Lara is still haunted by the childhood she endured and when she meets Nicholas he immediately speaks the ritual words, bonding them together for eternity with no thought for what harm it might cause Lara. In the beginning, Nicholas’ arrogance almost costs him his lifemate when Lara becomes traumatized by his protection, becoming lost in the memories of her abuse. Once Nicholas begins to fight his nature and sheds most of his arrogance where Lara is concerned he becomes an alpha male that is hard to resist. Lara shows incredible strength when she returns to the ice caves where she was once tortured and faces her fears in order to help rescue her aunts—the only reason Lara was able to stay sane while trapped as a child. What they discover in the ice caves is an incredible find in their search for the reasons behind the loss of their children. They are given a new hope for the future of their race and Lara has discovered the truth of her childhood memories, and what it is to be loved and cherished.